Forbidden Love
by Cheruku Kila
Summary: They started to take at least one teenager from each Kingdom once every ten years. The thing is...we never know what happens to them...no one does...that is...until now...
1. Prologue

In any magical world, there is always rules. Rules are meant to be followed. They are meant to keep you safe. At least that's what most people say.  
In a world full of elemental people, the rules are to be followed at all times. If you do not follow these rules, the penalty is death. If the evil rulers of this world doesn't kill you, your own mistakes will.  
This world is know to everyone as Lev, a magical world full of people who have the powers to control fire, ice, water, earth, air, light, dark, and at one time void. Lev wasn't always a place full of rules and evil, it was once a peaceful kingdom ruled by 8 rulers from the 8 kingdoms, but then one day, the people of the Void Territory, also know as Amethysts Kingdom, decided that they wanted to rule all the Kingdoms in Lev.  
Arthur, the ruler of the Amethysts Kingdom, staged an attack on the people of the Ice Territory, or Sapphire Kingdom. Many were killed in this great battle between the two kingdoms, including Seia, ruler of Sapphire.  
Because of this, the other Kingdoms joined the fight. It was long and bloody, lasting over one hundred years. After the battle, the only ruler still alive was Sage, the ruler of the Earth Territory, otherwise known as the Emerald Kingdom. She decided to come up with a new set of rules, or laws, in order to keep the peace between the remaining seven Kingdoms. She then crowned herself the ruler of all the Kingdoms.  
Many people did not like this, and many revolutions came from it. But each one was put down quickly. Over the years, the rulers of the Emerald Kingdom became more and more viscous and treated others worse and worse.  
Eventually, they built huge magical walls around each territory to keep the people from talking to someone who had a different power from them. They even made it illegal to fall in love with someone who had a different power the you did. If you did, it was punishable by death.  
Soon, many people were living in fear and poverty while the Earth Elementals reigned supreme and undefeatable. They started to take at least one teenager from each Kingdom once every ten years. The thing is...we never know what happens to them...no one does...that is...until now...


	2. Diamond Kingdom (Water Territory)

****Picture of Zale.****

The water of the river rushed past the feet of two men, a teenager and a older male in his 60s. The teen was trying to use his elemental power of water, to make three balls of water rise from the river. So far, he was failing.  
"Zale!" cried the older male when the teen dropped the three balls, again. "How many times must I tell you, stay focused?!"  
The teen, Zale, sighed in irritation. "I know Master Po!" he muttered. "You've told me eight-hundred nine million, seventy-six thousand, two hundred and ninety-one times!"  
Po sighed, rubbing the sides of his head. Zale was a smart boy, as just proven, but what he lacked was concertation. Without that, his powers would be useless.  
The elder also knew that if Zale didn't learn to use his powers soon, then he would be one of the teenagers who would have their name put into a pot. Whoever's name was chosen, was the one who would be taken to the Emerald Kingdom, or Earth Territory. After they were taken there, they were never heard from again.  
"Please try to concentrate!" Po said again. "And clear your mind, let your feelings flow out of you like a river. Let your inner feelings control your power."  
Zale closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind as he focused in on the rushing sound of the river. He imagined himself picking up the balls of water, the sloshing sound of the water, the cold feel of it. He could feel the water forming in balls and slowly lifting out of the river and across it toward him and Po.  
"Good...very good." he heard Po say quietly.  
Just then, a loud horn went off breaking his concertation, causing the balls of water to fall apart and splash the two of them.  
"It's the choosing horns!" Zale cried as he took off through the woods, leaving his master behind.  
Po sighed shaking his head as he followed the boy, but by the means of water transportation.  
Once the two of them got to town, they had to push their way through the crowd to the stage in the center. The stage itself was decorated in beautiful streamers in different shades of blue. A small river with live fish, surrounded the stage as it flowed in circles. On the stage, there was four chairs, all of them filled except one.  
Zale quickly got up unto the stage, and rushed over to the empty chair. He sighed. They did this every year since he had hit the age of thirteen, and each year they would see if any teen could not use their power. If one couldn't, they would have their name put into the jar in the center of the stage.  
Once they reached the age of 15, they would be tested once more, and if they passed, they would be fine, but if they didn't then their name would stay in the jar. Whoever still had their name in the jar would stay up on stage to see who's name the Kingdom's Master would choose, and whoever was chosen would be sent to the Emerald Kingdom. Of course this ceremony would happen only once every fifty years.  
Zale watched as Master Po got up on the stage and went down the line of teens, asking each of them to preform different tasks for him. When it was his turn, Zale tried to do as the others had done, but instead he failed. Master Po sighed and walked over to the jar sitting in the middle of the stage.  
Everyone watched Master Po as he reached into the jar and took out all names, except one. Then, he spoke up, loud enough for all to hear.  
"All the teens have passed their test this year...except one. Zale Witherstorm will be going to the Emerald Kingdom as out chosen..." he said sadly.  
After that, everything to Zale was a blur as he was rushed from his home to the path that led to the Emerald Kingdom.


	3. Ruby Kingdom (Fire Territory)

"Amazing job Baskara!" Master Brando exclaimed as he watched the teen boy shoot fireballs at the target, and successfully hit it.  
Baskara smiled brightly before turning to his twin sister, Azar. He couldn't help but notice she was struggling to control her powers, and her anger.  
"Hey...try fueling your anger into your power." Baskara suggested, earning a glare from the female.  
"Oh shut up!" she snapped, "Just because Master Brando says you're the best fire elemental the Ruby Kingdom has had since the great war, doesn't mean you can tell me what to do!"  
"I wasn't telling you what to do! I was just suggesting something that will help." Baskara simply said. "After all, anger is the fuel for our power~"  
Azar rolled her eyes as she tried to focus on the target again. She could feel her brother and her Master watching her. __"Focus...maybe I could try what Baskara suggested..."__ she thought, as she took a deep breath.  
Just as she was about to send out her fireball, the calling horn sounded.  
"D*mnit!" she snapped as her fireball shot from her hand and set the nearby tree on fire. "Stupid calling horn!"  
"Please watch your language Azar..." Master Brando said as he picked up all the weapons they had been using to train. "Now come along you two, we mustn't be late to the ceremony~"  
The two teenagers followed their Master as they ran through the wooded area, jumping and leaping over fallen trees. They knew what today was, but neither one was really nervous. After all, they knew if they were the chosen one, it would just be a ticket out of this hellhole that they called home.  
You see, unlike most of the other Kingdoms in Lev, the Ruby Kingdom barely had any forest. Most of the Ruby Kingdom was just volcanic land and pools of lava. Even their houses were built into the sides of the volcanoes like caves that a dragon would live in. They also barely had any food, so most people that lived in this Kingdom were quite skinny and irritable. This is why Azar, like most teens from the Ruby Kingdom actually tried to fail their last tests. That way they would be able to leave this Kingdom. Even though they didn't know what would happen to them afterward, they knew that whatever it was had to be better then this place.  
"Hurry up children!" Master Brando said as he quickly got up unto the stage.  
The stage here was decorated a lot like the one in the Diamond Kingdom, except with streamers in red shades and lava flowing around the stage instead of water. On the stage their was ten chairs instead of four. Like it was stated before, it wasn't that the teens couldn't use their power, they just didn't want to.  
After going down the line and testing each teen to see who's name would stay in the jar, Master Brando dismissed eight of the ten teenagers, just leaving Azar and her twin brother, Baskara, on the stage. The head Master looked between the two before reaching into the jar and pulling out a name. He then turned toward the crowd, a smile on his face.  
"And our lucky teenager that shall be leaving us today is..." he paused for affect. "Azar Flame!"  
No cheering came from the crowd as Azar was taken down from the stage and brought to the carriage that would take her to the Emerald Kingdom. Instead, everyone just glared at her as she walked past them. She didn't even bother to say goodbye to her parents or eight siblings  
as she climbed into the carriage.  
__"This is it..." __she thought. __"I'm finally getting out of here...Freedom, here I come."__


	4. Pearl Kingdom (Light Territory)

"Hey Mitsue! Come down from there!" a female's voice shouted, causing the teen to snap out of his thoughts.  
He looked to see his best friend, Alina, waving to him. He smiled and started to quickly climb down the tree. He knew what today was, it was choosing day. He hoped that he wouldn't fail his test again, since the power of light was one of the easiest to control.  
__"Don't be negative..." __he silently scolded himself as he jumped the rest of the way to the ground.  
Once he had touched the ground, Alina ran over to him giving him a big hug.  
"Where have you been?" she demanded, letting go of him. "I've been looking everywhere for you this morning! Master Mahina isn't happy."  
Mitsue sighed. "Okay, let's get heading back to town before we get in trouble for being late." he said, taking off through the forest, followed by Alina.  
He could hear his friend muttering to herself about how much trouble they would be in, if they didn't make it on time. He honestly wouldn't care, except for one problem: the head Master of the Pearl Kingdom, was his mother. He knew that if they were late, he would be scolded, and maybe even punished.  
Soon, the two had reached the edge of their town, and they slowed down to a walk to enjoy the scenery. Unlike many of the other Kingdoms, the Pearl Kingdom was full of light! Lanterns, lamp post, night lights, you name it! Everything about the Pearl Kingdom was beautiful, just like many of it's inhabitants, who were cheerful people most of the time, and sometimes, they were even fairies!  
Mitsue knew he was going to miss this place if he left. After all, this was his home, but it was better to not dwell on the ifs, and to think about the maybes instead! He quickly ran over to the stage as the bells rang, calling everyone to the town center. Alina gave him a hug before he went to take a seat.  
After a few moments, his mother, Master Mahina came unto the stage. She was wearing a very beautiful dress, her black hair down up in a bun. She looked around at the crowd, a small smile on her face as she greeted them. She then tested each of the teens. Out of the twenty, only two failed, Mitsue and another girl.  
Mitsue couldn't help but notice the slight glare his mother gave him when he had failed, but he kept the smile on his face. No need to let glares get his spirits down...right?  
He silently watched as his mother then approached the jar and took a name out. She stared at it for a second before looking up at the crowd.  
"The chosen one is...Mitsue Hakura." she said, folding the piece of paper.  
Mitsue sighed looking over at his younger friend, Alina. She looked ready to cry, and he honestly couldn't blame her. They would never see each other again. He wanted to say goodbye to her, but he was already being led to the golden carriage that would take him to the Emerald Kingdom.  
Once he was inside and on his way to the Emerald Kingdom, he couldn't help but think, __"Am I going to die?"__


End file.
